Living your Islamic values: Living with a state of excellence

C Aisha Meguid

The ‘Transformed by Values’ – Islamic self-improvement guidebook

(Author: Cynthia Aisha Meguid) is about effectively practising and living your Islamic values with excellence (Ihsan).

Did you know…The word ‘excellence’ (Ihsan) is mentioned over 50 times in the Qur’an! Allah is teaching and encouraging us to develop ihsan excellence in all areas of our life. As such, it is my deepest inspiration and the focus of my book.

What is Ihsan?

Ihsan (excellence) means thinking, acting, feeling and living with excellence to be the best Muslim you can be. It means aiming to do whatever you’re doing, in the best possible way, at all times.

Early in my career 20 years ago, I discovered a personal development methodology that perfectly matched everything that Ihsan stands for in Islam.

It is called NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), (an applied behavioural science and includes applied cognitive psychology methods), which offers advanced self-improvement concepts and methods that I tailored over the years and in my book to make them easy to understand and practice Islamic excellence (Ihsan).

About 50% of the personal development methodologies used in my book, stem origi- nally from NLP, but have been re-interpreted based on my Islamic personal development work with clients and participants.

NLP focuses on the relationship between the mind (neuro) and language (linguistic) and how they affect our behavior, actions & habits (programming).

The goal of NLP is to help people understand and change their thought, language and behavioral patterns to achieve any outcome/goal and solve any level of problems.

According to Modern Psychology Magazine, “NLP may be the most powerful vehicle for change in existence”. “NLP has metamorphosed into an all-purpose self-improvement program and technology”, TIME magazine.

The focus of NLP is the improvement of how you use your mind, leading to a greater ability to make positive changes in your thoughts, behaviours and more – which is the key focus of Ihsan (striving for excellence) and Islamic self-improvement.

Now, what if we combine NLP with the teachings of the Qur’an and perfect role model for mankind, the Prophet Muhammad (s)?

This is exactly what my book (Transformed by Values) is about – to support individuals in being more like our Prophet (s) Insha Allah. The Prophet (s) had an incredible human skill set that he used to communicate with himself, Allah and oth- ers.

He had powerful psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual skills and habits. He was so skillful at managing and directing his thoughts and actions towards living Islamic values, with ihsan which allowed him to embody character traits such as mercy, patience and bravery at their highest human level.

Towards this process, NLP is also great training for the nafs (self). Islamic teachings emphasize the need to train and master our self (nafs) which includes our psyche (mind, feelings, attitudes), ego and desires.

These are all aspects that are addressed by NLP’s advanced methods in my book – to support your highest Islamic personal growth.

Want to learn more about Transformed by Values? Join our free webinars for women. Register here: www. aishameguid.com/event/ transformed-by-values-webinars

Transformed by Values (eBook, paperback, hardcover) is available on Amazon: www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BTRLZHJN

Light of the Stars

Dr Reginald Naulty

May the light of the stars fall upon them, who, with constructive insight, solve problems made by misfortune and the misguided, and who defeat the destroyers with ideas so deep they cause no vengeance. Enlightened are they, under –writers of beneficence, whose intelligence and sympathy promote harmony, assisted as they are by people, allegedly ordinary, whose toil makes the world work. Their goodness penetrates hearts of rock, opening and warming.

Dr Reginald Naulty, originally from Adelaide, has taught at Charles Sturt University and has been a prolific writer since 1972.